Helicopter Airlifted for Repairs Crashes Near Mandakini River in Uttarakhand

A defective private helicopter being airlifted from Kedarnath to Gauchar by an Indian Air Force MI-17 chopper crashed near the Mandakini River in Lincholi, Uttarakhand, this morning. The incident was caught on camera, but no injuries were reported, according to officials.

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— Aviator Anil Chopra (@Chopsyturvey) August 31, 2024

The helicopter had previously made an emergency landing near the Kedarnath helipad in May due to technical faults. The MI-17 aircraft was transporting the helicopter to the Gauchar airstrip for repairs when it started losing balance due to the helicopter’s weight and strong winds. The pilot quickly dropped the helicopter at a vacant spot near Tharu camp to avoid a more severe accident, as confirmed by Rudraprayag district tourism officer Rahul Chaubey.

A rescue team promptly arrived at the crash site, and it was noted that there were no passengers or luggage onboard during the incident.

This helicopter was earlier used to ferry passengers to the Kedarnath temple. Due to heavy rains and landslides, the trek route to the temple has been severely damaged, leading to a sharp decline in the number of pilgrims since July 31. Despite the challenging conditions, over 33 lakh pilgrims have visited the Himalayan temples since the Chardham Yatra began on May 10.